Me and My Daughters

More dessert, please?

"So... we're havin' a party."

"Not a party, Applejack. It's more like, um... a lunch date?"

"Lunch? Here? With the Princess?! When the hay were you gonna tell me that?"

Fluttershy smiled nervously at the billowing earth pony. When she arrived at the acres, she promptly found the Crusaders, along with the young royal pair. Now she was tasked with informing Applejack about the upcoming picnic.

"I don' even know what ta do!" Applejack cried.

"Pinkie said she was taking care of the desserts," Fluttershy offered.

"And we can help, too! Cutie Mark Crusaders Master Chefs!" With Apple Bloom chiming into their conversation, Applejack had to suppress another annoyed grunt. She loved her sister, but sometimes she could go a little overboard with her friends.

"I... I think it's better if we let Applejack do the cooking," Fluttershy said, straining her smile to make up for the choir of sad moans that followed.

"I guess I could whip up somethin' simple. Ya think the Princess would mind?" Applejack asked, rubbing the back of her mane. She was always open to cook for her friends—occasions like this were common—but she didn't want to disappoint the Princess by cooking something that wasn't up to standard.

"Of course she wouldn't mind!" Fluttershy responded. "And, um... I could always help you in the kitchen—if you need my help, that is."

"I'd appreciate it, sugarcube," Applejack said, her thoughts clouding once again as her attention was directed towards the quintet of expectant fillies. Those little bundles of limitless energy could do the unthinkable if left unsupervised, and while most of their plans were harmless, if sometimes crazy, the results weren't always pleasant.

Applejack couldn't blame them; she'd gone through that phase when she was a little filly, too. She and Macintosh frequently got in trouble with Granny Smith. They'd grown up of course, but only when they'd been given responsibility. Maybe Apple Bloom needed just that, but what kind of responsibility was the question.

"What are we gonna do, Miss Applejack?" Luna asked, earning a chuckle from the farmer.

"Nah, don't you 'Miss' me, little one. You two are like family, after all," Applejack laughed as she ruffled the alicorn's mane. In the hope that they could give her a useful idea, she turned to the remaining fillies and asked, "What do you want to do, girls?"

"Oh, oh! We can cook... clean, eh...We can... I don't know," Sweetie trailed off, excitement derailing her train of thought. Both Scootaloo and Twilight face-hoofed. Of the four of them, Sweetie was the most bubbly and enthusiastic, and while it wasn't exactly a bad thing, sometimes her ideas were a little... short-sighted.

Hearing no more suggestions from the fillies, Fluttershy offered, "You could... decorate? I know that Sunset said it was an informal lunch, but I'm sure she'd love it if you made a little banner." Applejack nodded her agreement, concealing the slight surprise that came with Fluttershy's foal-proof idea. There was no possible way the fillies could hurt themselves—or anybody else, for that matter—while decorating paper.

The girls seemed to like the plan, too, as they huddled together in excited whispers, like an impromptu secret meeting. "Okay! What do you want us to do?" Scootaloo spoke up on behalf of the group.

"Do whatever you like," Applejack answered, "just—"

"Thanks!"

"—nothin' too big..." Before Applejack could finish, the group of hyperactive fillies bolted towards their clubhouse, leaving dust trails behind. She hoped they had everything they needed there; she didn't want them snooping around while she and Fluttershy cooked.